A reunion date and follow-up to the trio session that produced FOR THE FIRST TIME, this disc once again teams Count Basie with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson. The trio displays telepathic sympathy, with Brown's vigorous bass lines churning over Bellson's tasteful brushwork and the delicate, spare, accent-inflected piano lines of Basie.

While adjusting to the shift in dynamics may take a moment (the Count is usually in front of an explosive big band, after all), FOR THE SECOND TIME is a wholly satisfying, carefully nuanced trip through a handful of originals (including "Sandman" and the pulse-quickening "Racehorse") and standards (On The Sunny Side of the Street," "I Surrender, Dear"). On "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else," Basie's rhythmic facility is highlighted as he blends in and out of the combo, adding stresses and counter-stresses. Bellson and Brown match Basie's verve and melodicism throughout, making FOR THE SECOND TIME a wonderful set of tasteful, classic swing.